Rising Rangers star tracked by Premier League clubs after brilliant start at Ibrox

Olwethu Makhanya has barely settled at Rangers, but TEAMtalk understands the young defender is already drawing attention from clubs across Europe’s top five leagues.

Sources say a host of sides are tracking the South African, who has made an immediate impression since his move to Ibrox and looks capable of developing into a top-level player.

The 22-year-old only joined from Philadelphia Union in a £3million deal over the summer, but early performances have underlined the qualities that prompted Rangers to sign him.

Comfortable in possession, composed under pressure and a very strong defender, he has shown the athletic profile and reading of the game that elite recruitment departments value in a modern centre-back.

Those who have watched him closely believe the trajectory is only upwards if he maintains his current level. Interest remains at the monitoring stage rather than the bidding stage. No formal offers have been lodged, and January is not regarded as a realistic window for any departure.

Makhanya is said to be enjoying life at the club, adapting to the demands of Scottish football and the intensity that comes with playing for Rangers. The priority on all sides, for now, is continued minutes, further improvement and hunting down Celtic.

That said, sources indicate the picture could shift quickly if his form holds through the rest of the season.

Big move beckons for exciting Rangers star

Clubs in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 are understood to be keeping tabs on Makhanya, with the expectation that Rangers would face enquiries next summer should he continue on his present path.

A strong campaign would leave the Ibrox hierarchy taking calls from sides interested in a deal, even if any deal would still depend on valuation, the player’s wishes and the club’s willingness to sell.

For Rangers, the situation is familiar.

They have developed and sold promising defenders before, and Makhanya’s rapid rise only sharpens the need to balance his progress with the team’s ambitions this season.

Nothing is advanced, and a move is far from inevitable.

Yet the early evidence suggests that, if Makhanya keeps improving, then the recruitment strategy of finding gems and selling at a big profit will continue to work.